


The Torments of Not Doing More

by Multifandomfuckfest



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2015-01-23
Packaged: 2018-03-08 17:33:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3217613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Multifandomfuckfest/pseuds/Multifandomfuckfest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec experiences the worst day of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Torments of Not Doing More

“Daddy, Daddy help.” Hardy sat up hearing the screams of his daughter that had just seconds before been that of mocking childhood fun.

Jumping up Tess ran to the water “Alec,” she screamed, her husband trailing just seconds behind her. He rushed past vaguely noting that she safely had Daisy in her arms comprehending that she was breathing cause he could hear coughing.

The cold water didn’t register. The only thing that did was the bobbing brown haired boy struggling to stay at the surface as waves overtook him. Paddling out Hardy ignored the burn of his muscles desperate to get to his son. “I’m coming,” he called, “I’m on my way,” he promised. “Hold on,” he begged.

Reaching the spot where his son had been Hardy frantically searched the rough water now absent another. Diving under the salt burned his eyes as he continued to look but the only thing that mattered was finding him, finding Alec. Some ways away there he was. His hair afloat around him, body flowing in the water as if he was dancing with his eyes closed.

Closing the distance he noticed Alec’s head tilted back, mouth open as Hardy fought to bring his son to the surface. They were pelted with waves as he fought to find the coast knowing he needed to get his son to safety. Wrapping one arm around him Hardy kicked furiously trying to propel them toward the sand and trying not to let the emotion of seeing his son’s once full now noticeably glassy eyes not focusing on him.

Pulling him from the water Hardy went into pilot mode shutting off any emotion and blocking the terrified screams his wife and daughter let out seeing the purple lips and foaming mouth of their loved one. Shaking Hardy pressed his hand to the bare chest of his son hoping for a heartbeat. His own heart broke not feeling one as his hands settled where training had told him so many times. Hardy never thought the first opportunity he would have to use his mandatory requirement would be when the stakes were so high. Pumping the chest he could feel the tiny ribs of Alec crack beneath his thrusts, his torso depressing in each time. 

He didn’t pause until seeing Tess’s dark strands draped across their son’s neck ready to provide him with breath. And even then he only stopped long enough to allow her that before continuing. “Come on belter,” she cooed stroking his cheek as his body jostled between compressions. If you had asked Hardy before today what the best sound he had ever heard was he would have said the cries of his children on the day they were born. Today it was the gurgled gasp of his son as he began to breathe again. Turning him on his side Hardy had never heard such a sound that made him as proud as that of his son sputtering out salty water amidst coughs.

“Tess let him go,” Hardy instructed seeing his wife clutch their son close to her, “he needs air,” he reminded her as she was trying to console herself as much as their now crying wee one.

Daisy tugged on her dad’s soaking shirt, “is he okay,” she whispered as if scared to ask.

Hardy turned to her wrapping an arm around and pulling his baby girl into a hug, “aye,” he promised, “everything is alright lassie,” he assured her keeping a watchful eye on his family. Letting her go he stood pulling up blankets from the overcast beach to wrap his quivering son in. “Here, belter,” he said as Tess took the ends securing it around him and picking Alec up.

“Let’s go home,” she suggested having began to calm down from their ordeal and the almost worst day they had ever experienced.

Gathering their things Hardy loaded the car as Tess buckled their family in safely. He wrapped a dry towel around his skinny frame to protect the seat as he drove them home taking every moment to gaze back at his sleeping family in the back seat. Tess holding onto their son and Daisy resting her head against her mum’s shoulder. To think he’d almost lost that all today.

Pulling into their two story in the dark it was all Hardy could do to carry his sleeping daughter up to her bed his body complaining every step as Tess negotiated Alec out of his booster seat. “Alec,” he heard his wife’s crippling scream echo throughout his body. He leaped down the stairs two at a time finding his wife holding their son’s limp body in her arms.

“No,” he yelled seeing the tears streak down her face. Taking Alec from her he laid him down. Thankfully he was breathing but his little body was hot. He was practically steaming compared to his frozen skin earlier. “Call 999,” he demanded of his wife feeling for a pulse and checking to ensure his baby boy was breathing. “Belter, come on lad,” he tried prodding his son’s unresponsive body. Noticing that the rise and fall of his chest wasn’t quite normal.

Before he could decided what to do EMT’s were pushing him out of the way, “what happened,” one demanded.

Tess shook in Hardy’s arms, “I don’t know,” he clarified, “he was fine just some coughing on the way home,” he explained.

“Did he swallow something,” the EMT questioned.

“Sea water. He almost drown earlier,” Tess explained as Hardy watched them set up nasal canula on their son.

He didn’t miss the glance the two paramedics gave each other either, “how long ago was this,” they asked almost in unison.

Hardy glanced down at his watch, “almost three,” he noted the time. “What is wrong,” he growled.

“I’ve lost his pulse,” the other one broke in before Hardy could receive his answer.

Tess curled into his chest sobbing, “Alec please,” she shook as he tried to hold her tight enough to prevent her from what was happening in front of them.

He didn’t even notice he was crying or that anyone was talking to him as he watched the paramedics cease life saving techniques declaring his baby boy gone. Hardy just stood there holding his wife watching the lifeless body of his son lay there.

“Sir,” he heard a familiar voice echo next to his ear but when Hardy looked he saw no one. “Sir,” he said louder as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Opening his eyes Hardy met the brown eyes of Ellie in the barely lit room beside him. “You were yelling you name,” she announced in a whisper as if she was worried Claire would wake.

Hardy sat up startled realizing it was all a dream, a memory, something that he couldn’t change. Feeling his chest close in on him as his heart pounded he scrambled for his pills inside his pocket trying to push them from the blister packet and into his mouth.

Trying to help him Miller took the packing from his hands handing him a glass of water that had been on the coffee table, “here, let me help,” she growled noticing his protestation beginning to arise.

Swallowing them down he fell back against the couch, scrunching his eyes shut as a few tears squeezed out. Hardy shook his head, “I couldn’t save him,” he choked out feeling Miller’s hand on his shoulder. “I let them down. I’ve let you all down,” he admitted against his better judgment.

“Oh shut up. Not everything is your fault,” she tried to comfort him. Miller’s sad eyes met his, her hand still resting on his shoulder. Her mouth opened, “who is Alec,” she questioned for the first time beginning to possibly understand there was something more to the apparent hatred of his name.

Reaching his hand back into his trouser pocket Hardy removed his wallet. Pulling out the picture of his daughter he unfolded it showing her and a young brown haired boy, “he was my son,” his voice confessed finally letting someone in as his finger caressed the once shining smile of his boy.

He could see her opinion of him change at this new nugget of information. Before she could comment a crying scream came out of her bedroom signaling that Fred was awake. “I’ll be back,” Miller promised leaving him alone. But when she came back a few minutes later Hardy was pretending to be asleep again while he mentally made plans of how to avoid Miller in the morning.


End file.
